Great post Doperbo! That was some great supposed-to-be-working reading.
I am excited to see what different aspects of the game that the Horns will use this season with a different perspactive on the staff. Akina's energy should be one of the biggest assets that he brings to the team this season.
"If you can't be a good example, you might as well be a horrible warning."
You win the summer post honors, and it would be interesting to read CarKev's response to your treatise. I agree with Dr. J's overall assessment of your good work.
It appears that your thoughts regarding Akina's potential input in the Horns' defensive philosophy for the coming season have hit the Board when we've got some folks on vacation (Ann and I just got back this evening), but HornFans is loaded with talent -- and I have enjoyed and concur with the responses to date.
The response that really caught my eye was the one from Zona Horn -- it seems to capture the essence of the key points you have addressed in your initial post on this thread.
If Zona Horn's analysis is correct, then imo we're in the chips.
The only negative note I'm hearing is the notion that Akina might not be given a full opportunity for input from Reese and Mack. Personally, I doubt that is a problem -- my guess is that the issue of "input" was fully discussed (and resolved in favor of Akina's interests) when he was in the process of making his decision about whether to join the UT coaching staff.
Not to over-hype the impact of his presence here, but I think Akina came to Texas to win at the top level -- and my own view is that for all of our (potential) offensive firepower, the key to our chances to run the table this Fall is whether our defense is capable (with some help from Akina) of stopping a Top-Ten caliber opponent when the chips are on the table.
Thanks for the props, kchorn. I think you are right about why Akina left Zona. Its true that a team like Zona could periodically put together a special team that would at least compete for NC (the 1998 Fiesta Bowl team that went 11-1 and beat Nebraska to finish the season #4 is the best example). However, Zona is not one of the 10-15 schools like Texas, Florida, FSU, Penn State, OSU, Michegan, UCLA, Washington, Notre Dame, USC, OU, Nebraska, etc. that have the combination of resources, recruiting prowess, tradition, etc. that enable them to at least be in the running almost every year (some of the above have obviously done better with their resources over the past decade). Akina stayed at Zona because they flirted with excellence (Oregon and Oregon St. have taken over this position), and because he was very loyal to Tomey, who was loved by his players and staff, but never got Zona to the Rose Bowl and ultimately got the axe instead. To my horror (Zona is still my second favorite team), they went out and hired Makovich, who is sort of the anti-Akina (buttondown, chardonay sipping type). Although he got a promotion to DC, from what I've read and heard from my friends back in Tucson, Akina felt the U of A should not have fired Tomey, he was not certain he could fit in under Mack, and, once the Texas offer appeared, he figured it would be a good time to move up to a program that is (or at least should, and hopefully will, be) one of the top 5-10 programs in the country. He is a class act, as well as a tremendous motivator. In the coming years, I expect to see guys like Sendlein, Babers, Briles, Geiggar, Trahan, LeBron, Johnson, etc. really knocking some people's heads off.
Doperbo, you complete me. Nothing to add, except a few links to articles I enjoyed about Akina.
The Link "The argument could be made that Akina is going to coach at a program steeped in tradition, and coaching at Texas in any capacity is a raise in status"
The Link"I think this is very devastating for University of Arizona football," Mackovic said. "He was probably our most important coach...."
The Link "He's the kind of guy who doesn't ask you to play hard but demands it"
The Link"cornerback Nathan Vasher put a big-time hit on a Texas ballcarrier, causing the Horns' defense to erupt in celebration. And in the middle of it all was Akina, who smacked Vasher's helmet on the left and the right, and then tossed Vasher to the ground. "
The Link one of several hypothesized reasons why Akina was ready to leave is listed on page 1 in this pdf file. Read between the lines.
The Link "But after a personality conflict with his new boss, Akina resigned...."
The Link "With Arizona defensive coordinator Duane Akina coming over as the secondary coach, this group will really shine. "
The Link"Q: Will the D get that Desert Swarm look back? Not right away as they'll have to do it without defensive coordinator Duane Akina who didn't get along with Mackovic"
The Link"Akina will reportedly earn $150,000, a bump from his $115K salary at Arizona. "
The Link"under your leadership, Texas had one of the worst defenses in the nation for a number of seasons. What are you going to do differently with the Arizona Wildcats to ensure better defensive play? John Mackovic: Aaron, we had one particularly poor season defensively when we had a number of young players and injuries to our defensive front. "
The Link "Assistants Duane Akina, Rich Ellerson and Larry MacDuff filled in for Tomey. Akina was the acting head coach but remained in his usual spot in the press box"
The Link (click the cache page) "When Duane Akina left for Texas, Mackovic did not mask his displeasure. When I interviewed him and asked a question he did not like, he simply did not answer it and told me why he didn't want to. "
The Link"Akina said he butted heads with the strong-willed Mackovic and felt uncomfortable working for him. "
The Link Mackovic: “When I moved to Texas 10 years ago, I told them they had lousy facilities. Today they have the best in college football. I did that.”
The Link "UT defensive coordinator Carl Reese said Akina's presence will be a boon for cornerback Quentin Jammer. "He's going to give Jammer different tools," "
The Link "Texas sent a private plane to bring Duane Akina and his family in for an interview and then opened wide its wallet to make sure he stayed. And Arizona screamed to high heaven when he got away."
The Link"Assistant coaches: Duane Akina (asst. head coach/secondary), Dino Babers (asst. head coach/running backs),"
The Link""He's making plays, which is exciting," said UA secondary coach Duane Akina. "And that's what we are looking for, guys that can make plays back there." "
I think we got burned a few times last year (read OU and Oregon) because our defense was too predictable. We would pin our ears back and over-pursue. This left us vulnerable to misdirection plays and delay plays. Any variations on our defense would be a good thing. OU made FSU look silly in the Orange Bowl because they were disguising what their defense was. They would show man-to-man and switch to zone (and vice versa). You've got to keep the OC on the other team guessing.
Hey, Doperbo - just a note to thank CarKev and Zona Horn for their posts above on this thread -- and another thought that relates indirectly to Akina's potential impact on the coming season.
Thinking about how all of this might affect the Horns on October 6 is a natural and understandable focal point. Nonetheless, the Horns have never yet won their first two games (of the season) under Mack -- and sometimes it seems like we haven't made it undefeated to the Oklahoma game since electricity was first used for light bulbs.
So let's hope Akina has an impact from the get-go on our readiness to do battle against those first four teams -- particularly North Carolina.
And for those who remember the first quarter against LaLa last year (much less out "defense" against New Mexico State in the '98 season opener), it would be great to see the Horns' defense come out to play against New Mexico State this time around.
Thanks for the responses JPC1, LoveHorns, echeese, Herr Scholz et al.
Sorry about dropping the ball a bit on my replies, I generally try not to start a thread like this and then abandon it, but it seems a good portion of the adult population (or perhaps just those I'm primarily responsible for) of New England has developed an assortment of illnesses somewhat incongruent with your usual summer aches and pains from over-aggressive sailboarding and over-consumption of grilled steak and baked lobster, causing the level of acuity on my inpatient service to rise dramatically in the last few days. I know, I know... thats no excuse- priorities are priorities, and diehard hornfan discussions should rate just above acute coronary syndromes in a perfect world, so I abjectly beg forgiveness.
Thanks for the kind thoughts kc, I trust your vacation was relaxing and refreshing. Aren't you kind of mature <cough> to be free-hand rock climbing Devil's Gorge with mrs. kc? You're not a young buck like that cfs60 anymore after all. Perhaps a cruise to Aruba with some light contact shuffleboard would better suit you in your Golden Years {grin}.
There doesn't seem to be much controversy on this topic, like you said, and there seems to be general agreement that this is a good hire and that the potential for improvement in an already deep and talented secondary is exciting. Make no mistake- I think Withers did an excellent job- as evidenced by both the on-field accomplishments of his players and, in the end, his upward move to the NFL. I also agree that a potential downside may be how much Akina is allowed to adjust the defensive schemes, if at all, but I think your take on the matter is right on. Akina made what appears to be, at least on paper, a less than lateral move to come to Texas, and I think any agreements on his eventual input into defensive strategy were ironed out well before this move took place, likely to the benefit of all involved. One thing I did not even delve into is the potential recruiting ties to west coast talent that may also benefit us in the future.
I was also glad to see your input Zona Horn. That sort of information from someone much more familiar with UA's history than myself was something I was actually fishing around for, since I had little more than bbs threads from other sources and clippings to go from. It's nice to see those reports validated from another independent source. I think the consensus that Akina is a -very- vocal, agressive, and involved coach is definitely supported by the data. I also think the reports of how ferocious his players have been right from the starting gun are born out both by the various sources and from some of what we witnessed in Spring Practice. This aspect has me quite excited. I yearn for the days of Westbrook and one of my all-time favorite slobber-knockers, Gunn, and the thought of some of the guys we already have who seem to relish contact like Babers, Vasher, and Jammer stopping early offensive drives with some hard-core de-cleatings is something I am really looking forward to. It's the main reason I even played football in the first place, and good clean between the numbers contact is something a defense can never have too much of in my opinion. Provided it's not 5 seconds after the whistle blows of course. Then there's that halo rule thing that I'm still undecided on. I say if Ungar wants to smack the return guy, let him. Of course that's a different controversy, being interesting teams and all, and I digress yet again.
I also would like to point out a misleading point from my post that Zona uncovered but was too polite to nail me on. When I stated that Akina had coached some of the best talent in that conference, I was speaking of specific individuals that dominated their positions and were either Jim Thorpe winners or finalists. You are exactly right that, on the whole, UA did not recruit talent even close to the level that Texas has in recent years, nor are they likely to in the future. It is really an interesting thought-exercise to imagine what a true flex package would look like with guys like Redding, Gordon, Tubbs, McClintock, Babers, Vasher, Pearson, Geiggar, Jammer etc. etc. (some of which BBA alluded to) continually moving, stunting, blitzing, dropping back into coverage and overall confusing the hell out of any given offense. Perhaps against a power running game like UNL this would't really make that much difference, but against some of the pass happy teams on our schedule next year we could see some real defensive shut outs. I doubt the question will be answered, at least not on the field, as I stated above I don't expect to see any real version of the double eagle flex at UT. I would not be surprised to see some bastardized version with mixed blits packages and stunts in special situations in some of the key games- i.e. OU- but that is likely the extent of it. Of course something as relatively simple as true zone blitz executed well would be no small thing, as stated earlier.
CarKev- thanks for the links. Thats a much better bibliography than I had, even if I hadn't been too lazy and shameless to neglect to post any of my links. I ran across a few of those in researching the topic , but many of them I hadn't seen before and they make for great reading. Any coach who'll slap Vasher around and then throw him down while celebrating a big hit in practice is my kind of man. I also concur that Akina likely instinctually saw trouble ahead as DC under Mackovic, likely for some very good reasons. I refuse to say anything terribly negative about JM out of respect for his time here and some of the great things he did for UT, but his record with DC's and issues with assistants autonomy were questionable at best.
Texanne- touche'. Though some could argue that the several of the secondaries of the late eightes, early nineties had some 'offensive' streaks. Then there's route 66. And don't forget aTm's secondary, which though they habitually recruit 14 defensive backs, seems to have grown a bit offensive of late. Does arguing semantics win back any respect? You know how fragile male egos can be.
Texas football- agreed on all counts. I'm a little curious as to what your "two pair" specifically refer to in this context, but am also a little afraid to ask. email the answer to Nikki and if she is either excited by it or needs to edit it, I'd rather not know.
Doperbo
------------------------- Don't play me close... I 'll have this mic up in your midsection. -Phife. A Tribe Called Quest.
I'm pumped about the prospect of Akina bringing some unpredicatble elements to the defense. I especially like the thought of Jammer and others being able to unload vicious hits and take some picks the opposite way out of the occasional zone set.
As has been alluded to in this thread, I can't help but imagine our talent in the flex defense, and wonder if Akina will eventually be a DC for us. I'm in no hurry to send Reese to pasture- -and I wonder if Akina to DC is pure specualtion.
Is there any evidence to suggest Reese is near retirement?
A fine thread you guys have going here. DrJ associating me with pongo and the aggie dental-MD was uncalled for, but I digress.
I'm completely okay with joining the choir of others who sing the praises of Akina for a few reasons. One, he seems to be an angry, hungry SOB, and we don't have enough firebreathers on our current staff. Two, what harm can it do? I haven't built up huge expectations for him with the secondary. They were good before he got here and I don't see why it should change now. I'm more than willing to cheer the guy on.
Nonetheless, you tie him in here with something that befuddles me a bit. It appears as though you feel that he'll somehow be a key in helping us beat OU. While I hope you're right, I'm a bit of a skeptic on how great his impact will be in that game.
We were beaten badly by OU and the secondary certainly took their lumps, but I don't think they had a great deal to do with the initial steps in that game which led to our destruction. We got beat in the first quarter by our LB play and our offensive ineptitude. I have trouble understanding how Akina is going to help dramatically in either area. Beating OU this year will not depend on the play of our secondary or the coaching of Akina. It will depend on what almost every game this year will depend upon, our LB play and our offensive execution.
Here's hoping that not only Akina has his ducks in a row for the OU game, but so do our other coaches. Here's hoping we come out to deliver the blow that game early, and that Akina helps his group deliver blows all year long.
we have the Locker Room for good posts of this nature, I think. I guess that would be LHG's judgment call. Great thread, though.
CTJ,
I think Akina's system will allow our secondary to play a little bit more with their eyes on the QB. So while you correctly observe that our LB play was our chief problem on defense, having a secondary that knows where the ball is going must help a little in damage control.
As for offensive execution...*sigh*...repeat to yourself "at least we have more talent than they do...at least we have..." Well, you get the point.
Florida: the land of fake tits and real [censored]
Look, any post that has the word "Treatise" in the title and has generated so many compliments from so many of the Hornfans.com luminaries simply must be moved to the Classic Posts.
Please, LHG!?! I really liked your chili last year....
Thanks for the lobby Dr. J, it is much appreciated, but I'm sure LHG has more pressing matters to attend to than poor old Doperbo languishing around on the second page {grin}. From reading the reports it would appear that merely recovering from the fiery gastronomical assault that DWP's team unleashed on the chili cook-off participants this year may take some time in and of itself.
Seriously, I resurrected this thing tempoprarily, and finally I would hope, only to give some sort of answer to dfl, since this afternoon is the first that I have had free in what seems like a very long time, and I did not want it to seem like I disregarded his input. Much the contrary.
dfl- I understand your take. I also agree. However to that I say true, true, and unrelated. I can't speak for the offense in any capacity. That was never within the scope of my premise. I suppose we could see a shootout scenario where our offense rolls, as does theirs, but to be honest that possibility does little more than give me indigestion. I hope it doesn't come to that.
As far as LB play, I stated right up front I had little hard knowledge as to what, if anything, Akina might be able to change in the front seven. I did surmise that several new wrinkles, which Bull has obliquely referenced in his radio conference, might be employed as they relate to stunts and zone blitzes. I think this contribution is not small, for the aforementioned reasons in my post, and I think it would come primarily from Akina. If, instead, we all watch the well televised and occasionally effective safety and corner blitzes with the majority of the game enmeshed in man-to-man and nickel/dime packages to compensate for LB play, which he has also alluded to, then I will stand corrected. I will also likely be just as unhappy with the results as all of you guys. I stated at the outset that mine was a factually shaky premise, but one I feel bears weight based on the few data points we have.
1. Fact- Mack is loyal to his staff, letting no one go since he has been here- though that has been questioned by more than a few. Withers departure left one spot from him to fill.
2. Fact- Mack had a very wide pool to choose from.
3. Fact- Akina was lured into a less than lateral move. Factor in package/money/prestige/personnel conflict etc. ad nauseum. He still went from Defensive Coordinator to defensive backs coach.
4. Fact- He has knowledge of a defensive scheme designed to stop primarily pass oriented and spread style offenses. He has also been pretty damn good at it.
5. Fact- There are only a few other men in the NCAA, other than himself, who understand the nuances of this defense. This he specifically stated during the acerbic discourse with Mackovic when he suggested MacDuff for his replacement.
6. Fact- Mack was embarassed- to use his own words during the post-game talk after aTm- by the debacle against OU. He has lost more sleep over it than all of the posters on this board combined, I would wager.
7. Fact- This leads to the major obstacle in the Big12 South and by far the biggest red-letter date that any UT team has had in some time- including some of the UNL showdowns in the last few years.
Supposition. Mack hired Akina to help shut down OU. Whether this will be successful or not remains to be seen. I stand by the premise though.
I mean, on the surface you are completely correct. If our Offense rolls unstoppably like back in the halcyon days of #34 and our front seven play excels to the point that Griffin runs into DD at the line of scrimmage every other down instead of Jackson 30 yards downfield, then no, it really doesn't matter. If, however, this does not occur and some zone blitzes and defensive stunts designed specifically to plant Hybl on crucial third downs make the difference, then I am all for it.
BTW- thanks for throwing a touch of controversy into the mix, you trogolodytic [censored].
Doperbo
------------------------------ Don't play me close... I' ll have this mic up in your midsection. -Phife. A Tribe Called Quest.
Is it just me, or isn't it refreshing to be discussing the merits of various defensive alignments and strategies in the offseason rather than bemoaning the complete lack of athletes on defense (as we did so often during Mackovic's tenure)? It's good to know that we at least have the ability to put fast, athletic players on that side of the ball now. We still have a ways to go to be a dominating defense, but just get out an old game tape from 1992-1997 and it will make you appreciate how far we've come.
"If you have the best personnel and you get the breaks, you win. It's that simple." -Darrell K. Royal
We did that against NU a couple of times without Akina; so, with him, I'd say we've got an even better chance.
And, to the question of how much input Akina will have, I'd think he'd have plenty. After all, he is an assistant coach.
But we're all forgetting that it was Carl Reese that took a terrible Mackovic defense and turned it around into a credible defense in one year. Bull is still the DC; not Akina. Akna's the new kid on the block in charge of the defensive backfield, not the new DC. That job is already taken.
---------------------------------------------- The Link "Where Ricky's favorite entertainer hangs out"
Marley - you are correct about the Nebraska games, and that also is a very valid point, imo, regarding the contribution that Bull Reese has made -- and continues to make -- to the resurrection of the UT football program.
The two top-ten finishes in the final rankings by the Horns' defense in the past two seasons is an indication that Reese already has the defense where we would like to see the whole team located.
I'm with you, Marley - but in the meantime, we're struggling with three problems (actual or perceived) that I hope Akina can help to resolve:
(1) Our defense did not shine against the Top Ten teams last season;
(2) We have yet to win our first two games (much less our first four -- to make it to the OU game unscathed) under Mack, and
(3) The Horns' linebackers are taking the brunt of the criticism for whatever role the defense may have played in regard the two factors mentioned above.
I think Akina can help in these areas. While I am a devout fan of Horndfl's (I'm not sure about Close To Jumping, his alter ego), it seems to me that Akina already has played a role in regard to the linebacking situation -- if he had anything to do with moving Lee Jackson to "rover", and IF I understand correctly (and I certainly may not) that we may see more of Jackson at that spot this Fall than we will see from any of the current strongside linebackers.
If my understanding is correct, that would seem to be a substantial change from the approach we tried last season -- and it certainly would fit the notion that we might do a better job this time around of disguising our defenses against both the pass and the run (not to mention enhancing our capacity to zero in on the appropriate target).
What the two remaining linebackers do in our new defensive schemes would seem so intertwined with the responsibilities of the four starters in the secondary and the hybrid role of the "rover" that it seems illogical to think that Akina (who would have been the defensive coordinator at Arizona) would have no input regarding what D.D. and Rawls -- assuming they start -- will be doing on the field.
My guess is that Akina also had a hand in determining that D.D. and Rawls should be the starters (at this juncture) at the two remaining LB positions -- and that he has not yet seen any better candidates with the appropriate speed/strength combination needed for the defense he and Reese have in mind. Whether DJ could make a dent in that mindset remains to be seen.
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